As Car-Ped and Car-Bike Accidents Go Up, Police Step Up Enforcement

The city reports that there has been a big increase this year in the number of collisions between cars and pedestrians, up more than 25 percent through April from the same time last year. While the news isn’t as bad for car-bike accidents – up about 11 percent in 2012 from 2011 – the numbers themselves are high. Last year there were 265 crashes reported to police.

Police are analyzing where the accidents have been happening, and say they will be stepping up patrols. A likely outcome will be more tickets, police say.

This is a good thing. As a Denver personal injury attorney, I can tell you that accidents between cars and pedestrians or bicycles – or motorcycles, for that matter – can be particularly bad. While the driver of the car is protected by steel and glass, pedestrians and riders aren’t. Even a low-speed accident is likely to cause severe injuries, or even death.

While the law says cars are supposed to yield to pedestrians and bicycles, it’s probably a good thing to exercise extra caution when walking or riding. Just because the law says they should, distracted drivers can easily not see you – and you will lose.

If you have been injured as a pedestrian, bicyclist or motorcycle rider, give me a call at (303) 758-4777 or email me. Let’s talk about your case and your options – there’s no cost or obligation for our first meeting. For more information, see our website at www.dlslawfirm.com.